End of Season Returns on the Former Yankees

Melky Cabrera, Braves
.255/.317/.354 , .294 wOBA, 4 HR, 7 SB, 83 wRC+, -1.3 WAR

Given Gardner's fantastic season, I cannot say that I miss Cabrera in the least - that Boone Logan was the return for Cabrera makes it even better. Wait ... there was more to that deal?

Johnny Damon, Tigers
.271/.355/.401, .340 wOBA, 8 HR, 11 SB, 113 wRC+, 1.9 WAR

Damon proved he still had something left, but Gardner was cheaper and better. If you want to argue that Granderson truly replaced Damon ... well, he was cheaper (based on Damon's early demands) and better, too.

Jerry Hairston, Padres
.244/.299/.353, .287 wOBA, 10 HR, 9 SB, 86 wRC+, 1.9 WAR

While a nice utility has a fair amount of value, I'm not sold that Hairston would have been this player with the Yankees. His WAR is propped up largely by a ton of playing time (which he likely wouldn't have seen in New York) and a curiously solid UZR showing for the previously middling fielder.

Eric Hinske, Braves
.256/.338/.456, .341 wOBA, 11 HR, 0 SB, 115 wRC+, 0.9 WAR

Hinske would have been a nice bench player for the Yankees but, like Hairston, he wanted more guaranteed playing time. Injuries would have likely resulted in Hinske seeing his fair share of at-bats (particularly against righties), but I doubt he was ever really coming back.

Austin Jackson, Tigers
.293/.345/.400, .333 wOBA, 4 HR, 27 SB, 108 wRC+, 3.6 WAR

Through rose-colored glasses, this trade worked out well this year. As good as Jackson was, most advanced metrics view Granderson as having the superior season. Where Granderson's early season struggles hindered his final line, Jackson's quick start and insane BABIP bolstered his final line. Down the line, however...

Hideki Matsui, Angels
.274/.361/.459, .356 wOBA, 21 HR, 0 SB, 124 wRC+, 1.9 WAR

Matsui would have been a better idea than Johnson, in my mind. Yes, Matsui had injury issues. Yes, a statue would have more range in the field. Yes, Johnson was better at getting on-base. That being said, Johnson has more injury issues than Matsui. Johnson's ability to play first is entirely mitigated by Teixeira and Swisher. Hindsight may produce bias, but this deal never really made sense to me.

Xavier Nady, Cubs
.256/.306/.353, .295 wOBA, 6 HR, 0 SB, 79 wRC+, -0.4 WAR

Whew! Am I glad we didn't give up much for this guy. Oh, wait...

Jose Tabata, Pirates
.299/.346/.400, .334 wOBA, 4 HR, 19 SB, 110 wRC+, 2.0 WAR

Did you know that Tabata is a year younger than Jackson? Did you know that, with a full-season projection, Tabata was a bit better than Jackson this season? Sadly, unlike Jackson, Tabata brought a couple of arm injuries and a few DL trips in return. I'll play the "needed a change of scenery card" to help me move on.

Tyler Clippard, Nationals
3.07 ERA, 3.18 FIP, 3.83 xFIP, 11.1 K/9, 4.1 BB/9, 91.0 IP, 1.5 WAR

I'll never understand why he never received more of a shot - it's not like he was used in any grand trade or something of the sort. Fantastic minor league numbers and a decent showing in the majors don't usually result in a trade for a similar sort of player ... with injury issues (e.g. Albaladejo).

Phil Coke, Tigers
3.76 ERA, 3.23 FIP, 4.58 xFIP, 7.4 K/9, 3.6 BB/9, 64.2 IP, 1.1 WAR

Logan was better than Coke, and relievers are mostly fungible. I suppose I could have said the same for Clippard, but at least the Yankees gave Coke something of a shot, and replaced him with another solid arm (whereas Albaladejo has mostly toiled in Triple-A).

Ian Kennedy, Diamondbacks
3.80 ERA, 4.33 FIP, 4.28 xFIP, 7.8 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, 194.0 IP, 2.5 WAR

This is the point where the Granderson deal really stings. Kennedy's flyball tendencies likely would not play well in Yankee Stadium - not unlike Hughes, who appears to be a completely different player on the road. I very much wonder how this season would have looked with Jackson and Gardner in left and center, and Kennedy stepping in and handling the 19 starts made by Moseley, Mitre, and Nova - or, perhaps, giving Girardi leeway to pull the plug on Vazquez or Burnett.

Ross Ohlendorf, Pirates
4.07 ERA, 4.44 FIP, 4.96 xFIP, 6.6 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, 108.1 IP, 0.9 WAR

Eh - a Moseley by any other name would be just as mediocre.

Carl Pavano, Twins
3.75 ERA, 4.02 FIP, 4.01 xFIP, 4.8 K/9, 1.5 BB/9, 221.0 IP, 3.1 WAR

Over the last two years, Pavano has been the pitcher that everyone expected him to be. Sadly, this comes on the heels of his four-year vacation funded by the Steinbrenners.